FCC's Requirements

The Commission's rule regarding broadcast of telephone conversations is set forth at Section 73.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 73.1206.

Pursuant to this rule, before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast, or broadcasting such a conversation simultaneously with its occurrence, a licensee shall inform any party to the call of the licensee's intention to broadcast the conversation, except where such party is aware, or may be presumed to be aware from the circumstances of the conversation that it is being or likely will be broadcast. Such awareness is presumed to exist only when the other party to the call is associated with the station (such as an employee or part-time reporter), or where the other party originates the call and it is obvious that it is in connection with a program in which the station customarily broadcasts telephone conversations.

Recent Enforcement Actions

11-28-2014	Newport Television, LLC	(ORDER & CONSENT DECREE)
08-23-2012	Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc.	(ERRATUM)
08-22-2012	WSKQ Licensing, Inc.	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
08-22-2012	Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc.	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
05-21-2012	Nassau Broadcasting III, LLC	(ERRATUM)
05-17-2012	Nassau Broadcasting III, LLC	(NAL)
06-03-2011	AMFM Radio Licenses, L.L.C., WHTZ(FM), Newark, New Jersey	(ORDER & CONSENT DECREE)
02-16-2011	Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc., WZNT(FM), San Juan, Puerto Rico	(NAL)
02-02-2011	REJOYNETWORK, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina	(PFR Order)
04-23-2010	WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami Beach, Florida	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-05-2010	Tidewater Communications LLC	(ORDER ON REVIEW)
02-04-2010	WSKQ Licensing, Inc., WSKQ-FM, New York, New York	(NAL)
02-04-2010	REJOYNETWORK, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-17-2009	Cumulus Licensing LLC, WTWR-FM, Luna Pier, MI	(NAL)
02-17-2009	RCK 1 Group, LLC, WKKX(AM), Wheeling, West Virginia	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
10-17-2008	WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami Beach, FL; WSKQ Licensing, Inc., WSKQ(FM), New York, New York	(NAL)
10-16-2008	Rejoynetwork, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina	(NAL)
07-07-2008	Capstar TX Limited Partnership	(NAL)
06-09-2008	ProActive Communications, Inc., KQQB-FM, Newport, Washington	(NAL)
03-07-2008	WMGO Broadcasting Corp., Inc., WMGO(AM), Canton, Mississippi	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-20-2008	Courier Communications Corp., WNOV(AM), Milwaukee, Wisconsin	(NAL)
12-17-2007	3 Point Media - Salt Lake City, LLC, KHTB(FM), Provo, Utah	(NAL)
05-24-2007	Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York	(ORDER ON REVIEW)
03-06-2007	RCK 1 Group, LLC, WKKX(AM), Wheeling, West Virginia	(NAL)
03-02-2007	WMGO Broadcasting Corp., Inc., WMGO(AM), Canton, Mississippi	(NAL)
01-30-2007	Citicasters Licenses, L.P., WFLZ-FM, Tampa, Florida	(NAL)
05-02-2006	Saga Communications of New England, Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts	(ORDER)
11-15-2005	KOFI, Inc., KZMN(FM), Kalispell, Montana	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
07-18-2005	Noe Corp., L.L.C., Monroe, Louisiana	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
03-17-2005	KOFI, Inc., KZMN(FM), Kalispell, Montana	(NAL)
03-02-2005	Saga Communications of New England, Inc., WLZX(FM), Northampton, Massachusetts	(ORDER ON RECON.)
02-24-2005	Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York	(ORDER ON RECON.)
01-13-2005	Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, Ohio	(NAL)
01-13-2005	NOE Corp. LLC, KNOE-TV, Monroe, Louisiana	(NAL)
01-12-2005	Univision Radio License Corporation; Tichenor License Corporation	(NAL)
12-21-2004	AMFM Radio Licenses, LLC, WKQI(FM), Detroit, Michigan	(NAL)
11-24-2004	Mid-Missouri Broadcasting, Inc., KOQL(FM), Ashland, Missouri	(NAL)
11-24-2004	WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami, Florida	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
10-15-2004	Saga Communications of New England, Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
04-23-2004	WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami, Florida	(NAL)
02-19-2004	Saga Communications of New England, Inc., WLZX(FM), Northampton, Massachusetts; Western Mass Radio Company, WRNX(FM), Amherst, Massachusetts	(NAL)
02-19-2004	Cumulus Licensing Corp., WSEA-FM, Atlantic Beach, South Carolina	(NAL)
10-07-2003	Tempe Radio, Inc., KUPD(FM), Tempe, Arizona	(NAL)
08-05-2003	Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York	(NAL)
11-07-2002	Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA	(M.O.&O.)
06-13-2002	Results Radio Licensee, LLC, KHRD(FM), Weaverville, CA	(NAL)
04-11-2002	Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA	(ERRATUM)
03-29-2002	Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc., WGBF (FM), Henderson, KY	(NAL)
03-19-2002	AMFM Radio Licenses, LLC, WWDC-FM, Washington, DC	(NAL)
02-06-2002	Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA	(NAL)
11-13-2001	Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C.	(M.O.&O.)
08-14-2001	EZ Sacramento, Inc., KHTK(AM), Sacramento, CA; Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM, Manassas, VA	(M.O.&O.)
02-20-2001	EZ Sacramento, Inc., KHTK(AM), Sacramento, CA; Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM, Manassas, VA	(M.O.&O.)
02-20-2001	El Mundo Broadcasting Corporation, WKAQ(AM), WUKQ(AM)	(FORFEITURE ORDER)
11-30-2000	Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc., WINZ(AM), Miami, FL	(NAL)
10-24-2000	El Mundo Broadcasting Corporation, WKAQ-AM, WUKQ-AM, Ponce, Puerto Rico	(NAL)
09-21-2000	EZ Sacramento, Inc., Sacramento, CA, Infinity Broadcasting Corp. of Washington, D.C., Manassas, VA	(M.O.&O.)
05-08-2000	WCMQ Licensing, Inc., WCMQ-FM, Hialeah, Florida	(NAL)
03-09-2000	Noble Broadcast Licensees, Inc., WVKS(FM)	(NAL )
03-08-2000	Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM	(NAL)
02-28-2000	Long Nine, Inc., WQLZ(FM)	(FORFEITURE ORDER )

Complaints

To file a complaint of violation of this rule, the complainant generally should include the following information: (1) the call letters of the station; (2) the city and state where the station is located; (3) the time and date of the specific conversation in question; (4) the time and date the conversation was broadcast; (5) the name of the station personnel involved in the conversation; and (6) a description of the circumstances of the conversation.

Complaints of broadcast of telephone conversations in violation of the FCC's rules generally should include a statement of a party with first hand knowledge or information regarding the subject conversation.

Complaints should be sent to: Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, Investigations & Hearing Division, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.